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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (July 31, 2002 – Agence France-Presse)---Tonga, Polynesia's last kingdom, which is beset with political and economic ruin, is about to be hit by a book that claims its Royal Family, lost in a "dark forest of moral and social bankruptcy," will either collapse or face revolt.

"My prediction is that things in the island kingdom will worsen until authorities relinquish their unbalanced hold on power," newspaper publisher Kalafi Moala writes in "Island Kingdom Strikes Back," the story of his independent weekly Taimi O Tonga (Times of Tonga).

"If they don't, the people will rise up and take in their own hands the destiny of the island kingdom."

Tonga is ruled by the near absolute King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV, 88. His children, Crown Prince Tupuoto‘a, 54, and Princess Pilolevu Tuita, 51, have in recent years seized control of key businesses.

CONGRESSMAN ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD Delegate from Guam U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C.

NEWS RELEASE July 31, 2002

SENATE

Congressman Robert A. Underwood reported today that a Senate companion bill to a House measure that would establish the Supreme Court of Guam as the head of a third, co-equal, and unified branch of government, was introduced today by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HA), and Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-ID).

The House legislation, H.R. 521, was introduced in February last year by Congressman Underwood and had a successful hearing in May before the House Resources Committee. During the committee hearing, Christopher Kearney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs of the Department of Interior, testified that the Bush Administration had no objection to the legislation.

The Senate legislation introduced today mirror's the House bill, which received bipartisan support.

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (July 31, 2002 - Marianas Variety/PINA Nius Online)---Saipan business leaders have been asked to join the fight to protect coral reefs in the Northern Marianas, and reminded that this is good for the tourism business.

Division of Fish and Wildlife natural resource planner Thorne Abbott told the Rotary Club of Saipan that coral reefs not only sustain fisheries, but also help boost tourism.

He said coral reefs also offer other business potential, including pharmacy products and living museums.

He told the assembled business leaders: "In Jamaica, for example, the medicine derived from reefs is worth some $54 million. They were able to obtain from the reefs new drugs for treating cancer, arthritis, bacterial infections and other diseases."

Without protecting and preserving the coral reefs, Abbott said the Northern Marianas would lose revenue from tourism and from fishing, as well as environmental...

Workers from the French Polynesia's Intervention Group (GIP), who had arrived in February as part of the solidarity effort from French Polynesia's territorial government, were away on a seven-week leave. But they have now returned and resumed efforts to rebuild infrastructure (particularly schools) on Vava'u, which was severely hit by tropical cyclone Waka on New Year's Day.

The French territory's vessel, the "MV Meherio III," arrived last Friday, with workers and more construction material on board.

An Air Tahiti Nui Airbus also flew in on Sunday with more than 50 Tahitian workers, who are mainly focusing their efforts on the Neiafu and Tefisi primary schools.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (July 31, 2002 - SIBC/PINA Nius Online)---The Solomon Islands Government recorded a deficit of Sol$ 43.8 million (US$ 6,162,660) for the first six months of this year, according to documents seen by SIBC News.

The documents reveal that the government failed to get its payroll under control and overspent Sol$28 million (US$ 3,939,600) on salaries and wages alone.

They also revealed that the financing of the deficit for the current year has come mainly from grant aid from Taiwan. But the accumulation of debt continues, as the government has failed to meet its bills as they are due.

The government documents, however, state that the deficit for the second half of the year may not be as large. This is because revenue in the second half is normally higher than the first half, they say.

In other developments amid the deepening Solomons economic crisis following more than two years of ethnic conflict and continuing law and order problems...

But the commission has not made any decision on the fate of the elections in Enga and Southern Highlands.

Election boss Reuben Kaiulo said he and his lawyers were still studying the ruling of the National Court and he would not listen to anyone regarding making a decision in the meantime.

Yesterday the six candidates — including Peoples Democratic Movement recruit and former Governor Peter Ipatas, another PDM, Sam Abal, independents Dickson Maki (Kompiam-Ambun) and Kappa Yarka (Lagaip-Porgera), and Peoples Labour Party man Miki Kaeok (Wapenamanda) — went to the commission office in a hope to get the commission to endorse them.

They claimed to have been declared on July 28 and had tried their best to return the Writs to the commission but the commission could not be reached.

HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (August 1, 2002 - Pacific Daily News)---The start of public school may be delayed, according to the Department of Education.

Evelyn Salas, DOE spokeswoman, said the education department does not have the money to pay for purified water and other sanitary items such as paper towels.

Guam's water system has been contaminated since Typhoon Chata'an hit July 5, and the education department announced Tuesday it would use bottled water to open schools as scheduled next week.

Salas said the cost for bottled water and other items for the department's 37 schools would be about $12,000 a day.

"We might have to delay the opening of school if we are unable to find the funding to pay the $12,000 a day," Salas said.

"We are contacting the Office of Civil Defense, meeting with the (Federal Emergency Management Agency) officials to see if they can provide for the water. But as of right now, school is still scheduled...

JAYAPURA, Papua, Indonesia (July 30, 2002 – Laksamana.Net/Kabar-Irian)---A member of the Army's elite Special Forces (Kopassus) suspected of involvement in last year's murder of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay claims the victim died unexpectedly while being questioned by soldiers, a lawyer said Tuesday.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hartomo said that Theys died suddenly, maybe because of shock, while his subordinates were questioning him in his car," lawyer Ruhut Sitompul was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.

Theys, leader of the Papua Presidium, a group seeking to negotiate independence for the resource-rich province through peaceful means, was found murdered on November 11, 2001.

The previous night he had attended a celebration at the Kopassus base commanded by Hartomo in the provincial capital, Jayapura.

The flamboyant independence leader was abducted by a group of Kopassus soldiers while on his way home and then...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.